Black Ops 2 replaces killstreaks with “score streaks”

Black Ops 2’s multiplayer will utilise a new system of score streaks in place of the more familiar killstreaks of previous Call of Duty games, with some terrific rewards available to high-scoring players.

As detailed behind closed doors at gamescom, score streaks allow players to rack up bonuses for completing objectives and activities as well as making kills. While kills will add to a player’s score streak meter, securing objectives, capturing flags, defending team mates with turrets and heat shields, and earning assist points will raise the meter significantly faster.

Score streaks unlock bonuses such as being able to call in the RX-XD, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), VTOL Warship, Lodestar and X9 Unit.

The Guardian, seen in an early trailer, is another score streak reward option. This Humvee-powered unit exists in the real world, and is good for play modes with objectives, as it has strong crowd control thanks to the ability to microwave enemies.

Another example is the AGR, a small tank unit. For the first time, players can summon an AGR by throwing a smoke canister, and have it break out of its air-dropped crate independently, saving a mad dash across the map to activate the bonus. Players can control the mech by holding X or let it wreak destruction on its own.

The Hellstorm Missile is yet another reward. Piloted from the ground, the missile can be smacked into troops on the ground or burst in mid air like a cluster bomb.

Then there’s the Escort Drone; this is an odd little beast that shouts intel at the player, including updates on your score streaks, and rampages across the battlefield making kills.

Although these sound like pretty badass bonuses, Treyarch is certain that players with correct counter-loadouts will be able to take them down; EMP grenades, for example, will drop tech fast.